Chapter 4

           

           PrinceAndrewarrivedinPetersburginAugust,1809.ItwasthetimewhentheyouthfulSperánskiwasatthezenithofhisfameandhisreformswerebeingpushedforwardwiththegreatestenergy.ThatsameAugusttheEmperorwasthrownfromhiscalèche,injuredhisleg,andremainedthreeweeksatPeterhof,receivingSperánskieverydayandnooneelse.Atthattimethetwofamousdecreeswerebeingpreparedthatsoagitatedsociety—abolishingcourtranksandintroducingexaminationstoqualifyforthegradesofCollegiateAssessorandStateCouncilor—andnotmerelythesebutawholestateconstitution,intendedtochangetheexistingorderofgovernmentinRussia:legal,administrative,andfinancial,fromtheCouncilofStatedowntothedistricttribunals.NowthosevagueliberaldreamswithwhichtheEmperorAlexanderhadascendedthethrone,andwhichhehadtriedtoputintoeffectwiththeaidofhisassociates,Czartorýski,Novosíltsev,Kochubéy,andStrógonov—whomhehimselfinjesthadcalledhisComitédesalutpublic—weretakingshapeandbeingrealized.

           NowallthesemenwerereplacedbySperánskionthecivilside,andArakchéevonthemilitary.SoonafterhisarrivalPrinceAndrew,asagentlemanofthechamber,presentedhimselfatcourtandatalevee.TheEmperor,thoughhemethimtwice,didnotfavorhimwithasingleword.IthadalwaysseemedtoPrinceAndrewbeforethathewasantipathetictotheEmperorandthatthelatterdislikedhisfaceandpersonalitygenerally,andinthecold,repellentglancetheEmperorgavehim,henowfoundfurtherconfirmationofthissurmise.

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